By Jennifer S. Wilkov, Host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio, Book Business Consultant & The Literary Agent Matchmaker™

To listen to the show: http://wp.me/p1KmwD-6hz

Today let’s talk about how to be an author who uses the news and leverages the media for your platform.

Using the news can help boost the visibility of your book, your platform and you!

Themes run through your platform and book, whether it is fiction or nonfiction. Certain topics are prime candidates for coverage in the news such as:

• grief
• summer cookouts
• government authorities
• women’s issues
• awareness of diseases and health conditions such as autism, depression, breast cancer and others
• LGBT issues and gay pride themes
• back to school
• graduation
• holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Fourth of July, New Year’s Day
• and more

When you tie these into your books and platform, make a point of following the news and pay attention to current events.

When something pops up in the news that is related to your book and platform, talk about it. Tie it into your next blog article, the posts you put out on Facebook and Pinterest, and the tweets you tweet out on Twitter.

Identify the right hashtags and keywords for your topic and use these to contribute to the larger conversation. This will insert you and your platform into the thick of the discussion and perhaps lead people back to your book, website, blog and world.

Likewise, the news can provide you with great ideas and storylines for your next novel or nonfiction book.

The key to writing is to write what you love, not for the trends. This goes for using the news too. There are certain trends in the news, but your book and platform should be broader than just one narrow focus designed to springboard you into being a news expert or commentator.

Instead, when you have finished writing your novel or nonfiction book, cull through it for applications to certain holidays, significant time periods of the year, and keywords. This will help you to determine how to use your book as your hook in so many ways with the media. It will also help you get better visibility in search engine results for several different topics your book and platform play into. Use these terms as tags for your book, articles and blogs when you post them.

The more you pay attention to the news stories your readers are hearing about every day, the more you can tie in your book and use it as your hook to raise your visibility and platform.

For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, Host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio, Book Business Consultant & The Literary Agent Matchmaker™

To listen to the show: http://wp.me/p1KmwD-6d7

Today let’s talk about conferences for every part of the process for writing a book and publishing a book.

For many interested in the book publishing industry, conferences are some of the best ways to keep up with the changes occurring in this field, get the latest inside information about new technologies and new upcoming publications, and keep in contact with existing colleagues and meet new ones.

Whether you are an author or a writer who is writing a book or an industry professional involved in some way with publishing a book, industry conferences are the place to be to leverage your time, money and effort to catch up with everything to do with books.

This week, Book Expo America captures the attention of various facets of the industry including myriad conferences to bring together the variety of professionals who will descend on New York City to discuss books from every perspective.

From publishing and self-publishing a book to publishers, librarians and booksellers to hearing from the authors themselves, the halls of the Jacob Javits Center will be buzzing with everything having to do with books. For the first time this year, BEA will open its doors to the reading public and welcome consumers in to experience the book publishing industry on display.

When you build a career in any industry, it is important to get into the thick of things and learn as much as you can about the business activities involved so you can become more of an insider as opposed to just a spectator.

As writers, conferences such as Book Expo America and others that run parallel to this larger industry event this week allow massive opportunities for professionals to meet with other professionals and for those new to the industry to get immersed in it in just a few days.

If you are planning to head to New York City this week, keep your eyes and ears open as there are many events occurring inside the halls of the Jacob Javits Center and outside all around town.

It is this penchant for books that continues to prove that you can use your book as your hook to increase and enhance your larger platform for your ideas, business and career. You can also build a career helping others to do this as an industry professional in whichever ways you find the most inspiring and fun.

I look forward to seeing you there!

For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio

www.yourbookisyourhook.com

Click here to listen to the interview anytime after 9:00 am EST on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 on the WomensRadio Network.

Kristen Weber, co-founder of Shelf Pleasure a destination website for women who love to read, and Harvard Medical Professor and Author, Dr. Joseph Shrand, will appear as guests on the Your Book Is Your Hook! Show on WomensRadio.com

Ms. Weber will discuss how writers are able to leverage reader sites like Shelf Pleasure to support their writing careers and books. Dr. Shrand will discuss his new book, OUTSMARTING ANGER, and share how and why he wrote it, as well as how he got published.

To listen to the show: http://www.womensradio.com/2013/05/social-proof-online-book-club-harvard-author-dr-shrand/

New York, NY (May 14th — May 20th, 2013): Kristen Weber, co-founder of Shelf Pleasure, a destination website for women who love to read, will talk with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov about how to leverage reader sites like Shelf Pleasure to support their writing careers and books.

She’ll also discuss how readers in today’s digital world  are finding information about the books they read. Ms. Weber will also talk about how an author can work with Shelf Pleasure to productively promote their work.

Harvard medical professor and author, Dr. Joseph Shrand will discuss with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov his new book, OUTSMARTING ANGER, how and why he wrote it, and how he got published. He’ll also talk about the difference between anger and aggression and why books like OUTSMARTING ANGER can help us resolve the outrage we feel about recent national events. He’ll also share advice for new writers who want to write and publish a book about particular human experiences like anger in today’s publishing world

Host Jennifer S. Wilkov will discuss social proof and the value of having others review and recommend your book to more readers during her Education Corner segment during the show.

Click Here to Listen Now: http://bit.ly/167mbd5

If you have questions about any of these interviews or the education corner topic included in the show, please put them here in this discussion thread and I’d be happy to answer them.

Guest Blogger, Anita Katzen, CPA & Partner at Schulman Wolfson & Abruzzo LLP

To listen to Anita’s interview on the show: http://bit.ly/xnnKR4

When people think of the entertainment industry they think of the fame, privilege, perks, and financial success. What is not in the forefront are the team who help guide the entertainers such as agents, lawyers, stylists, personal assistants and business managers, to name a few. These professionals become not just business related necessities but confidants and an important part of managing fame.

Unfortunately, too often, we hear of entertainers who end up losing it all, filing for bankruptcy, and even some having no place to live. This can partly be the result of poor business management advice. Finding the right business manager is important to protect the things that are important: financial stability, planning for the future, and sustaining life while doing what you are passionate about.

In my over 25 years as a successful business manager for the day to day finances, finding the right business manager can come down to three areas: Helping you map out what is important to be financially content, helping you control your spending, and helping you save for not just the ups and downs but the future.

Here are a few things to take into consideration when looking for a great business manager:

Helping you map out what is important…

A good manager steers their clients to make their money work for them. Helping clients get a handle on purchasing what they need as opposed to what they want. It is important to find out “what are the top 5 things important to you?” The answers could range from the tangible such as clothing, travel, and entertainment to future security. The bottom line is they can always easily answer the question. My belief is they can have all they want, but they have to do away with everything else that you don’t really care about.

Helping you control spending…

It is vital to find someone who will help get control of spending, which in some cases could take years to stabilize. Many clients engage a business manager because they have found themselves in debt. Often, entertainers, especially early in their careers, spend more than they make. They don’t take into consideration the fees going out for the agent and manager; usually 10% for agents and 15% for managers. In some professions in the industry, such as models, the agent fees are sometimes 20%. After those fees they need to pay the expenses like everyone else which include taxes, personal expenses, and living expenses.

To combat with the fees, the entertainers’ mentality usually is I WANT IT NOW! Unfortunately so many don’t know what it means to do without or even just put off buying something on a whim. A good business manager will try to teach their clients the difference between wants and needs. This becomes especially important when most have an unsteady income. For example, an actor’s series ends; or musicians often have many sources of income that are unpredictable and erratic; producers and filmmakers work years on a project. Often there is not a big payday at the end of these projects. The concept of wanting it now can be particularly challenging in today’s world. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements, promotions, and tactics to show us what is available to buy, making it even harder for people who don’t have a controlled spending mentality.

Helping you plan for the future…

A good business manager pushes their clients to save money. That savings will help them carry through the tougher times, when the paychecks are not rolling in, and will help them maintain their cash flow in retirement. I always stress to my clients that you need to have your assets work for you. For example, if they have vacation homes, they could rent out when they are not using them. Entertainers who purchase many homes cannot necessarily afford to pay the overhead without receiving rental income.

A good manager is not afraid to say NO. They are there to pay the bills, make sure the entertainer is receiving their income through contracts, payroll, and residuals. They are most importantly there to make sure the entertainer is putting their money away for the future and for retirement.

I think the best example of what you are looking for can be found in this quote from my client, Melissa Archer, an actress on One Life to Live, “When I first met my business manager I didn’t know much about money except how to spend it. When someone could take me, the girl who spent money like tokens at the arcade, and put me on a budget that worked for my personality, and then saved me a ton of money, that to me is a good business manager. Someone you can trust and someone who wants you to do better”

.
Contact Anita Katzen, Partner at Schulman Wolfson & Abruzzo, LLP – 212.868.5781 or akatzen@swallp.com

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, Host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio, Book Business Consultant & The Literary Agent Matchmaker™

To listen to the show: http://bit.ly/zSpFrC

Today let’s talk about why publishing a book helps you help others.

Many people do a variety of things to help others. Some work professionally as teachers, trainers, consultants and coaches. Others work in the healthcare field. Some work in a non-profit organization. Others volunteer, and still others find ways to support their local communities in some meaningful way. Everyone wants to make a difference somehow some way.

Writing and publishing a book about an area you have a specialty in helps so many people in a lot of different ways. If you write a novel, you help people learn through stories about the expertise you have in an area affecting their lives. If you write a nonfiction book, you can strut your stuff in a how-to type of book, a cookbook, or a step-by-step guide to whatever your specialized insights apply to. If you write a children’s book, you help parents and children foster their relationships while supporting the child with an essential skill for success – reading.

I’ve met a lot of people in different professions who say they don’t have time to write a book, much less figure out how to publish it.

Options abound for those who want to write a simple book these days. With the advent of self-publishing being more available through venues like today’s show guest, LuLu.com, and with e-publishing being easier than ever to do, it’s never been a better time to be a writer! With so many avenues to get published, all you really have to do is want to.

Understand this: your book is your hook in your area of expertise. The most important thing you can do is write it. The second most important is to get it published.

If you’re not sure what to do, try this:

Sit down and think about what it is you have to say about a particular subject that you’re an expert in. It doesn’t mean you have to write a how-to book in that area. You could also fashion a fictional story about it that leads the reader to the same conclusion through storytelling.

Consider whether a writing career is really for you. Perhaps you could start with a short story and see how it feels. Try it on like a sweater and see if it fits you.

Whatever you write and publish, know this: books heal, help and haunt the reader. They make people laugh, cry, think, gasp and scream out loud. They touch our hearts. They heal our souls. They entertain us. They educate us and they enlighten us.

But the only way they do that is when you write one.

By Guest Blogger, Joanna Poppink, MFT, Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer

To listen to Joanna Poppink’s interview on the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show:  http://bit.ly/zSpFrC

Conari Press wanted an eating disorder recovery self-help book for adult women. I wanted to write it. We were a match. In August, 2011 Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering From Your Eating Disorder reached bookshelves in stores throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.

As I wrote HHH, my book deepened and changed, and so did I.  I wrote too much and too little.  I told. I stopped telling. I shared and described. I kept the sharing but stopped describing and told stories.  I told stories I never dreamed I would tell.

The North Star I followed was an ever changing yet consistent image of my reader. I saw her living a life governed by an eating disorder. I had been that woman. I’ve seen her in my private psychotherapy practice. I’ve heard her speak in 12-step meetings. I’ve heard her on the telephone choking with tears. I’ve read her stories in letters she’s written to me for 25 years.  I’ve heard her loved ones tell me their stories and hers.

Throughout every phase of book creation I saw her – a living collage of womanhood yet always being herself.  I wanted to show her how she could work her way out of the horrors of an eating disorder and into freedom.

If you are writing a self-help book, please keep the person you want to teach close to your heart and clearly in your mind.  Have empathy for your reader’s experience as he or she tries to follow your guidance.

To win my reader’s trust, I told some of my story. The editor at Conari said I mentioned a Cornish lover. I either had to say more or cut it because, as it was, it teased the reader.  I decided to tell my private story because I believed that in the telling my reader would recognize herself too.

I realized my reader could tire as she worked her way through my book so I created a “Recovery Check-In” chapter. It’s a rest stop to review progress, reflect on success and gently contemplate challenges ahead.

As I wrote, I got news of a sexually exploiting situation between a professional in the field and a woman in early recovery. I had days of sorrow and rage at the betrayal. I told my publisher I needed to include sexuality in my writing. My editor said, “Follow your heart and write to your reader.”  I added a chapter called, “Sex, Stalking and Exploitation.”

As you write your self-help book, make your information accessible by keeping a clear picture in your mind and heart of your reader’s life, why they need what you are sharing, and how they feel as they follow your suggestions. Your reader is your North Star that leads you to the book you need to write and they need to read.

My hook? Healing Your Hungry Heart brings me clients, opportunities to speak, and new connections with wonderful people in the healing community.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio
www.yourbookisyourhook.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday February 15^th, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

Rick Frishman, the founder of Planned Television Arts, the Publisher of Morgan James Publishing and the creator of Author 101 University, will appear as a guest on the Your Book Is Your Hook! Show on WomensRadio.com. Mr. Frishman will talk about the essentials authors must have before engaging and submitting their projects to publishers, literary agents and publicists. He’ll also discuss why he co-authored his new book, his 12^th entitled Show Me About Book Publishing, and how he’s using it as his hook to help others write and publish theirs.

NEW YORK, NY (February 15^th – February 21^st, 2011): Rick Frishman, a publishing industry veteran for more than 33 years as a publicist and the founder of Planned Television Arts, as the Publisher at Morgan James Publishing, and as the creator and host of Author 101 University for the last decade,will talk with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov about the essentials authors must have before engaging and submitting their projects to publishers, literary agents and publicists.

Mr. Frishman will discuss in detail what publicists, editors, agents and publishers like him want to see online to support the book project an author is proposing. He’ll also talk about why every writer should create a book proposal and some big mistakes writers make when approaching the industry with their books.

Rick Frishman is also the co-author of 12 books including 4 national bestsellers and he will discuss his new book scheduled to come out this Spring entitled Show Me About Book Publishing with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov. Mr. Frishman will talk about why he has chosen to have co-authors for all of his books, what to look for in a co-author and how to create a great platform as a team.

Mr. Frishman will also talk about why he created Author 101 University more than a decade ago to help authors and writers learn how to be successful with publishing books. He’ll also share advice for writers who are writing their first books and why co-authoring might be a good option for them.

Host Jennifer S. Wilkov will discuss the benefits of staying with your career in the ever-changing publishing industry during her Education Corner segment on the show.

Click Here to Listen Now: http://bit.ly/eYrMFR

If you have questions about any of these interviews or the education corner topic included in the show, please put them here in this discussion thread and I’d be happy to answer them.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio

www.yourbookisyourhook.com

Click Here to listen this month’s interviews on the WomensRadio Network

January has been filled with great interviews about freelance writing, humor writing, Writer’s Digest and their conference, customer service, public relations, book marketing, a memoir based on current events and one of the most successful bestselling nonfiction authors. Woo Hoo!

Here’s a recap of who’s been on the show and quick links to listen to the ones you’ve missed:

Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 9:00am ET – Mike Sacks, a member of the editorial staff at Vanity Fair Magazine, a successful freelance humor writer and the author of three books, who will talk about his career as a freelance writer and how to start your own. He’ll also discuss his experience of being an author and his recent book, And Now Here’s The Kicker: Conversations With 21 Top Humor Writers About Their Craft. To tune in, Click Here.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011, 9:00am ET – Phil Sexton, the Publisher of Writer’s Digest Magazine and host of the Writer’s Digest Conference and PitchSlam this month, and Marci Shimoff, one of the bestselling nonfiction authors of all time and a New York Times bestselling author, will talk about her new book, Love For No Reason, which hits the bookshelf today. To tune in, Click Here.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 9:00am ET- Beth Kallman Werner, founder of Author Connections, who will talk about tips for books sales and marketing and Susan M agnuson Walsh, founder of Little By Little, the non-profit ministering to those who need improved health and well-being, specifically in Haiti, and the author of  Walking In Broken Shoes: A Nurse’s Story about Haiti and the Earthquake. To tune in, Click Here.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 9:00am ET – Peter Shankman, the founder of Help A Reporter Out (HARO), the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc, a boutique Marketing and PR Strategy firm, and the author of two books, who will talk about radically new ways of thinking about Social Media, PR, marketing, advertising, creativity and customer service. He’ll also discuss his experience of being an author and his recent book, Customer Service: New Rules for a Social-Enabled World. To tune in, Click Here

There have also been great guest articles posted on the Show Blog:

>> Freelance Writing Do’s and Don’ts by guest blogger and show guest Mike Sacks, Member of the Editorial Staff at Vanity Fair, A Successful Freelance Writer and the Author of And Here’s The Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers On Their Craft

>> Why Writers’ Magazines Make A Difference in Your Writing by guest blogger and show guest Phil Sexton, Publisher & Community Leader, Writer’s Digest

>> Giving Birth to Your Book by guest blogger and show guest #1 NY Times bestselling author, Marci Shimoff , Love for No Reason, Happy for No Reason, Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul series

>> Book Marketing Mistakes and No One “Silver Bullet” Strategy by guest blogger and show guest Beth Kallman Werner, Founder & President of Author Connections LLC

>> The Blessing of Writing About “Walking In Broken Shoes” by guest blogger and show guest Susan Magnuson Walsh, Author of “Walking In Broken Shoes” & Co-Founder of the non-profit organization, Little By Little

My educational blog articles have covered the following topics:

• How Freelance Writers Can Easily Make The Transition to Author & Vice-Versa

• Why 2011 Is Your Year to Write

• Putting Your Memoir to Good Use

• Customer Service You Provide As An Author

If you have questions about any of these interviews, articles or the education corner topics included in these shows, please put them here in this discussion thread and I’d be happy to answer them.

Great interviews coming up in February on the show: MIRA Books/Harlequin Editorial Director Margaret Marbury and NY Times bestselling author Robyn Carr will be on February 8^th, just in time for Valentine’s Day for all you romance novel readers and much more.

Stay tuned….

By Guest Blogger, Shawn Edgington
Author of Read Between The Lines: A Humorous Guide to Texting With Simplicity & Style
www.shawnedgington.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday December 28^th, 2010 on the WomensRadio Network

I have to admit, the dream of becoming a successful published author was never included on my bucket list – until late 2008.  The fact is, I’m a CEO of a national insurance firm where my company specializes in managing risk and preventing loss for thousands of America’s businesses.  I’ve been working in the insurance industry for 25+years, which has NOTHING to do with the book business, let alone the 1001 l things you need to know to become successful within the publishing industry.

I was lucky enough to pitch my book deal to the Milli Brown, the CEO of a small boutique publisher, Brown Books, which is located in Dallas, Texas.  Both Milli and her team worked closely with me to get my first book Read Between the Lines written, illustrated, designed and published in early 2010. They are wonderful!

Since then, I’ve joined an author coaching program, attended numerous seminars, teleconferences, webinars, podcasts, joined e-mail lists, purchased a radio coaching program, had my website redesigned three times,  turned my book into an E-Book, created The One-Click Safety Series, spoken professionally to thousands of people, completed the manuscript for my second book, The Parent’s Guide to Texting, Facebook and Social Media and attended a publicity summit in New York City where I pitched my books to over 70 producers like The View, Fox News, The Today Show and Good Morning America.  I’ve been a guest on more than 80 radio programs over the last four months, appeared on Fox Business, View From the Bay, Channel 4 news and CNN.  And, I’m still working feverishly to become a successful author.

In an effort to help my fellow authors striving for success, I’m offering you this small but significant bit of advice that I wish someone would have told me:

1. Every aspiring author (unless you’re famous) needs a great platform BEFORE you send your book proposals and/or query letters to the publishing houses.  Your platform will include a great website, your weekly blog, social media, speaking events, and anything else that makes sense for your genre.  Your website should be branded to you, not the title of your book.
2. Writing the book is only 10% of the work. The other 90% comes after your book is published, and it is a full time job.
3. The average author sells 300 books, and makes, on average, $1.00 a book.  This means you have to be way above average to make a living in this business.  Keep your day job, work twice as hard, and don’t expect to sell a million books in your first year unless you’re Sarah Palin or Kim Kardashian.  J
4. There are great resources available to authors to help you obtain publicity – too many to mention here.  E-mail me if you would like a list of where I’ve found success.
5. Come up with your treasure map of additional items you can offer for sale on your website besides your book.  Example:  Speaking, audio programs, electronically delivered items, subscriptions to your services, games, etc.
6. Hire a web designer that specializes in working with authors AND monetizing websites.  This is critical and will save you thousands of dollars.  Check out my site:  www.shawnedgington.com.  I finally found the right person to get this right, $10,000.00 later.  If you would like a reference, send me an e-mail.

Wow, I’ve learned a lot, and I’m learning more and more every day!  If anyone has any great tips to share, or would like more information, please contact me at:  shawn@shawnedgington.com.

Shawn Edgington, CIC

America’s Leading Texpert and Cyberbullying Expert

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio
www.yourbookisyourhook.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday September 7th, 2010 on the WomensRadio Network

This week on the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show, Bret Ridgway, founder of Speaker Fulfillment Services, will talk with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov about strategies for authors to leverage in their Internet marketing efforts as well as the biggest mistakes they make when attempting to handle product fulfillment for themselves and their books.

Mr. Ridgway will also discuss the concept of perceived value, recognition of how valuable time is to an author’s work and the ten-to-one (10:1) rule of information marketing.

Jo-Ann Geffen, the co-author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul®: The Story Behind The Song,” will discuss with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov how she landed the opportunity for the book and how she presented its concept as well as how she gathered the stories for it from a variety of musicians, from well-known recognized names to those less familiar – all with insightful tales to tell about their music.

In this latest “Chicken Soup for the Soul®” book, Ms. Geffen will talk about the kind of impact the 101 stories are having on readers everywhere, which charities were selected for the book’s donations as per the “Chicken Soup” model and her suggestions for how musicians can continue to share their stories behind the song beyond this book.

In the Education Corner, host Jennifer S. Wilkov will be talking about storytelling as the hook for your book.